Holi, the festival of colors, is one of the most enjoyed and celebrated festivals in India, marking the beginning of a new season and a new year for some.

Indians in Korea clinched a deal to provide a colorful, jovial atmosphere for the IIK Holi Dhamaka 2014 celebration on the banks of the Hangang River in Seoul’s Ichon-dong on March 16.

Holi has its roots in ancient Indian cultural rituals and is celebrated across all communities in India regardless of social background. Holi is a festive day to end all conflicts, forget and forgive by meeting others. 

People splash different colors of paint on each other to symbolize the beginning of a new phase in their relationships.

At the Seoul event, the splashing of Holi colors provided by IIK was accompanied by Indian Bollywood music played by a DJ.

Games amid the colors kept the momentum going and brought the feeling of togetherness to a higher level. Winners were decided by judges.

More than 200 people from India and elsewhere participated in IIK’s Holi Dhamaka, including officials from the Indian Embassy, Air India and the Indian Overseas Bank.

After the games and festivities, the participants enjoyed an Indian lunch, followed by prizes for the winners of the games and a lucky draw, given out by U.S. Rawat, deputy chief of mission at the Indian Embassy.

To round off the event, the DJ played music for a final dance, the colorful sight catching the eyes of passersby.

By Sameer Chaudhari

Sameer Chaudhari is IT team director for Indians in Korea (www.indiansinkorea.com). This event is not related to the Holi event in Busan, which is run by another, more recently formed group that uses the same name. ― Ed.